MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — Mourners laid flowers close to the scene of the lethal Christmas market assault on Monday as investigators puzzled over the motive of the suspect and fears swirled that the rampage might deepen divisions in German society.
The Johanniskirche, a church a brief stroll from the scene of the assault, has develop into a central place of mourning because the suspect drove a automotive into the busy market on Friday night, killing 5 folks. A carpet of flowers now covers the broad sidewalk in entrance of the church.
Prosecutors mentioned the variety of injured has risen to as many as 235 as extra folks have reported to hospitals and medical doctors, however it’s attainable there was some double-counting.
Authorities have recognized the suspect as a Saudi physician who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had acquired everlasting residency. They say he doesn’t match the standard profile of perpetrators of extremist assaults. The man described himself as an ex-Muslim who was extremely essential of Islam and in lots of posts on social media expressed assist for the far-right.
“The Magdeburg perpetrator had repeatedly attracted consideration by threatening crimes. There had been additionally warnings about him however, in accordance to what’s recognized up to now, his political statements had been so confused that not one of the safety authorities’ patterns fitted him,” Justice Minister Volker Wissing was quoted as telling the Funke newspaper group.
He mentioned Germany might must “draw penalties for our safety structure” and {that a} severe debate about that will probably be wanted, “however it’s nonetheless too early for that” as details and questions stay open.
The nation’s vice chancellor voiced fears that the assault will gasoline on-line misinformation forward of a nationwide election anticipated in late February. He urged folks to “take time for the reality” and mentioned: “Don’t let yourselves be contaminated by hatred.”
“There remains to be quite a bit we don’t know and quite a bit is unexplained, together with the precise motive,” Robert Habeck mentioned in a video posted Sunday. “All the identical, I concern that the mistrust that was instantly propagated on the web in opposition to Muslims, foreigners and folks with a historical past of immigration will entrench itself deeper in society”
On Sunday night time, police within the port metropolis of Bremerhaven mentioned they detained a person who threatened crimes at a Christmas market there in a TikTok video. German information company dpa reported that he had mentioned he would stab any folks of Arabic look there on Christmas Day.
